Even if you're over age 60, you should still undergo regular Pap tests and pelvic exams to prevent or detect cervical cancer.

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Pap tests, also called Pap smears, are the best way to detect cervical cancer or cervical abnormalities that may eventually become cervical cancer. But although Pap tests are important cervical cancer screening tools for almost all women, many older women skip their regular Pap tests.

Cervical Cancer Screening in Older Women: Pap Tests After Menopause

"As gynecologists, we still recommend that women get screened in their 60s and 70s," says Marcela G. del Carmen, MD, MPH, clinical director of the Gillette Center for Gynecologic Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School, in Cambridge, Mass.

According to the National Cancer Institute, most women who have gone through menopause still need to get regular Pap tests. Yet this depends on individual circumstances, such as if you are currently sexually active, if you have ever had an abnormal Pap smear, and if you have had a hysterectomy, among other factors.

Your doctor can tell you whether and how often you need to get screened for cervical cancer, but most women should get a Pap test at least once every three years. If you are older than 65, talk to your doctor about what makes the most sense in your situation; you may be able to stop having regular Pap smears if you satisfy certain criteria. If you have had a total hysterectomy (including removal of your cervix) for reasons other than diagnosis of abnormal cells or cancer, you may be a good candidate for discontinuation of Pap smears, for example.

You may still need to get Pap tests even if you have had a hysterectomy in some cases, however. Pap tests are still recommended if your cervix was not removed (partial hysterectomy) or if you had a hysterectomy to treat cervical cancer or precancerous abnormalities.

HPV and Cervical Cancer

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, so many women who are no longer sexually active opt to skip their regular Pap tests, thinking that they are not at risk for having HPV. But since HPV can live in your body for many years before it is detected, Pap tests are still important even if you are no longer sexually active.

"We worry about some infections being latent," says Dr. del Carmen. She says that the medical community used to think that you could forgo regular Pap tests as you got older and were with the same partner, but that is no longer the case.

"It has become much more difficult to decipher risk factors for chronic HPV infection," del Carmen says, adding that "we don't ever feel comfortable saying to someone that you no longer need screening."

Another reason for keeping up with regular Pap tests is so that you will also have regular pelvic exams, says del Carmen. "For a lot of women, the Pap smear becomes the reason to go get an annual exam," she says. Even when you no longer need to have a Pap smear, a pelvic exam is still recommended.

How Often Should You Get Screened for Cervical Cancer?

If you have not had a Pap test in many years, or if you have never had one, talk with your doctor, who can tell you how often you should get screened based on your age and risk factors.

Pap tests only take a few seconds and can be done in your doctor's office. To perform a Pap test, a nurse or your doctor will take a sample of cells from your cervix using a small brush. The cells will be sent to a laboratory for analysis in order to detect any abnormalities.

Regular Pap tests can find abnormal cells on your cervix before they become cancerous, or detect cervical cancer early, when it is easiest to treat. That is why it is so important for women, regardless of their age, to undergo regular cervical cancer screening. If you can't remember the date of your last ob-gyn visit, call your doctor to make an appointment.

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